FINALLY!! WALKING!!

Okay, I know that each child does things in his/her own time, but COME ON!!  Aiden has had full ability to walk for almost 3 months, but has refused to walk.  He finally did it, unbribed, unscripted today for the first time.  Here are the results.  Enjoy my home movie moment.

Christmas 2010

Our Christmas Day was wonderful!  Thanks to Jodi and Dustin for being so welcoming.  Dustin found the perfect activity for a tired toddler.  We went to a house in Tremonton that had lights set to music.  It was grand.  Our favorite activity thus far.  We had a delicious dinner, we played, ate, enjoyed each other and did our best to remember the meaning of Christmas.  The Goodwin kids were so excited to see Aiden.  We stayed in Katie's room (thanks, Katie) and she had a welcome note on her mirror.  They had guest towels and peppermint lotion in the bathroom and we felt very, very welcome.

Santa came with a vengeance.  As Ethan said, it looked the like the Christmas tree had a serious accident.  There were so many presents we could barely see the tree.  It was such a blessing for us.

I love the freedom of Christmas Day.  Sure, eat whatever you want.  Don't change out of pajamas all day.  Call people you love, play with toys, nap, and eat more.

Mister had a great Christmas Day.  Sorry the pictures are not great, but I forgot my nice camera.  Aiden climbed the stairs Christmas Morning and saw his Thomas scooter.  (Thanks, Uncle Chris).  The rest of the presents could have disappeared and it would not have mattered.  While the Goodwin girls played with Polly Pockets and American Dolls, Aiden was fixated with the scooter.

Aiden really had a wonderful Christmas, as did I.  Teresa, Jodi, Kari, Lisa, and Uncle Chris made our Christmas wonderful.  We were so blessed this year and there was one gift to our family from an anonymous person (or group of people).  It was very generous and it was exactly what we needed to keep going.  Thank you, to whoever you are.

After presents, Aiden wanted to be a big guy... so...

He played with "doh doh" (playdoh) with the Goodwin Girls and ate crackers.  These girls loved Aiden and doted on him.  He is not used to such attention and he just lapped it up.

We went home, unpacked our Christmas then went to Smedleys to help them get to the train station for their trip to Sacramento for the World Championship for karate.  Aiden got a lot more fun things from Smeds (including his traditional sock monkey) and got to say goodbye one more time.

As a last minute new tradition, Aiden and Mom went to IHOP for dinner on Christmas Day.  He had the fruit, I had the veggie soup.  Perfect end to the perfect day.

Christmas Tender Mercies

So, to update ya'all... my car was found.  Unharmed and all things accounted for.  Granted, it was in Moab, but it will be back home soon and I could not be happier.  I cried last night when I hit my pillow for all the wonderful Christmas Miracles that I just am too much of a blockhead to see.  Little things that I miss during the rush around.

Oh, and by the way, Happy Anniversary to my sister, Teresa, who has been married 28 years and also Happy Anniversary to my other sister, Kari, who has been married 26 years.  I still don't know what the heck you guys were thinking putting Mom through 2 weddings in 3 years right at Christmas, but I am glad you did.  (This does not include the 26th which is my other sister's anniversary...)

So to all of you lacking the Christmas Spirit, here ya go.  From my new favorite holiday classic, Merry Madagascar.  Happy Julianuary!!!

Sunday and Monday and Christmas Disaster

Sunday was relatively fun.  We figured out the gingerbread recipe and decorated cookies in the morning. 

Can you see which one Aiden did?  Talented artiste, eh?

Good recipe.  Fun time decorating them.

Then, I needed to help play for Kari's ward - the traditional Hallelujah Chorus - and I walked out to my car, cello in tow... NO CAR!  Someone has stolen my car.  Yes, I live in the hood, but, CMON!!!  You see a stroller and a car seat in the backseat, you know I have a child.  CMON!!

So, bad news for me the week before Christmas.  Just bring me back my stroller and car seat, and music stand out of the back and have the car, Jerk.  But to soothe my troubled heart (and the fact that Uncle Chris had to leave for Saint George and will miss Christmas AND New years.... and had to leave 2 days earlier than expected.... and miss out on our fun pre-Christmas plans.... ARGGGGHHH), Uncle Chris took us to MacCools tonight. It is our favorite restaurant and they treat us great.  

We walked in and Mike, the manager, said, "Bad day?  I saw your facebook post.  I knew you would be in tonight."  He knows us so well.  We go there to celebrate, to laugh, to cry, to drown our sorrows in sweet, sweet potatoes and cheese.  

So, we sat down, Cameron (our usual waiter) said, "I have Aiden's dinner already going.  You want a Diet Coke and your regular?"  Ouch.  They know us REALLY too well.  (BTW - I didn't have the regular.  Mike made a special "off the menu" tuna casserole that was divine...)

When we got home, Mister started getting naughty because he was tired.  He took one of the ornaments off the tree, unwrapped it and proceeded to break up the styrofoam into very small pieces and say "THNOW!"  (Which means SNOW!)  Now who can't just let him have fun? 

That's why they invented vacuums.

Ho! Ho! Ho!  Happy Freaking Holidays!  

(Remember that saying, Charlee?!  Three years ago... Stacie?   Bad weather?  Canoe oars were involved somehow?)

Gingerbread and Naan

Aiden helped.  

We made gingerbread cookies today.  

Sorta.

The first recipe must have had a typo because it ended up too dry and crumbly.

But Aiden really, really enjoyed eating it and helping Mom.  Especially the flour part.

After this fiasco of baking, we grabbed Uncle Chris and went for Indian food.

Geeeez I love Indian.  Especially naan.  (Indian flatbread).  

And so does Aiden.

Chris and I discussed that Aiden does not have a problem with ethnically diverse foods.  He tolerates mac and cheese okay, but give him sushi and the boy is in heaven.  

or seafood.  Mongolian.  Indian.  Thai.  He is not picky.

After Aiden went to bed, I made another batch of cookie dough (from another recipe) that turned out great.  I baked up all the little boys and girls and we will decorate them tomorrow.

12 Days Until Christmas

Last night Aiden and I watched the Grinch (the one with Jim Carrey, unfortunately) and made Christmas ornaments.  They came with paint, but we decided to have a cleaner, gentler Christmas season, so I opted for crayons.

We also made a couple of other fun things, but they are gifts for people who read this blog so.... there.  Suffice it to say, they turned out spectacularly.

After crafts and wackiness, we decided to drive around and look at Christmas lights.  Now, the thriving metropolises of Clearfield and Syracuse are not known for their Christmas grandeur, but these two houses have to be the winners.  All I could think of is that some poor husband started in October and must really like Christmas.

17, 16, 15, sigh

It is not that we didn't do fun things.  I just have had no internet connection until today to update the blog.  Sorry, so sorry.

Thursday, we watched Merry Madagascar.  If you have not seen this, it is so funny.  Here is the premise.  The animals are still in Madagascar.  And it is Julianuary (the traditional month of festivities to celebrate the birth of King Julian - the lemur king... or lemming king... or whatever he is).  On the 24th of Julianuary every year (Christmas Eve) the Red Goblin (Santa) comes to the island and pelts it with black meteors (which we find out later is ... coal.  Apparently, King Julian has been on the naughty list so often that he no longer gets one lump of coal, but an entire meteor shower).  So, they shoot down Santa, who gets amnesia because of the crash and it is up to the animals to save Christmas.  Awesome.  It even features the reindeer from the North Pole and the penguins from the South Pole who had a falling out years before.  The line "Bipolar Christmas" actually rears its head.

Friday, we went shopping for Christmas presents and made gingerbread at Uncle Chris's house.  Cousin Kelle slept over and it was so fun to have her there to help prep for ...

Saturday was the Biddulph Family Christmas Party.  I was in charge.  Imagine this... 8 siblings and their children.  Aiden is the youngest.  45 of them or so.  It went fine, but the noise is pure chaos.  I can see why the Grinch was anti-noise... Noise... NOISE.  The nativity was great.  Alec was gracious enough to play the donkey.  He was nicknamed Churro the Burro by his brother and Jack the Ass by his uncle.  Such love.

The dinner was spectacular (my family really knows how to cook...), especially Teresa's enchilada soup and Grandma Sharon's pumpkin rolls.  Oh, the pumpkin rolls were divine. Grandma Sharon actually made them and brought them with her on the plane.  

Kelle (one of his favorite cousins) drew Aiden's name and gave him a pillow/blanket lion.  And... Thomas clothes and a book.  What a cool present.  See the pic?

Sunday, church was AWFUL.  No leaders to help in Primary, so afterward we snagged Uncle Chris and went to see the Ogden Village Lights.

Really fun.  Last night, at a loss of what to do after a very long day, I took Aiden for pizza with pepperoni and green peppers.  Red and green, right?  We also sang Jingle Bells to a bunch of horses on the side of the road.  He liked he horses and I said, "horses say neigh."  He thought I said, "hey", so then we had to sing...

Okay, so I blew it yesterday, but will make up for it tonight.  Promise.

18 Days... Santa!!!

To all the faux Santas around the world who sit day after long day with children coughing, sneezing, gross, hungry, tired, and fussy on their laps, worn out, working so hard to be jolly:  bless you.  Bless you all.

Especially the one who had the "privilege" of letting my son sit on your lap last night.  I know he kicked the crap out of your leg during the picture.  I know it was 6:30 and you were probably hungry.  I know that it was hot in the mall.  I saw you trying to itch your neck slyly because of the crappy cheap suit.  I know that you probably need to drink heavily to counter the stuff you deal with every day.    I don't blame you.  But we love you.  We really do.

Thank you for having a real beard, a real button-like nose, and a belly full of jelly.  You were amazingly patient.  Especially with the kid that screamed and the parents that thought it was funny.  You are my hero.

The little "elf" that was helping Santa kept insisting that "Dad" get in the picture.  Uncle Chris was with us and rather than make her feel bad, Chris graciously stepped into the picture even though he didn't want to.  Thanks, Uncle Chris.

This is a bad copy since I had to take a picture of the picture.  I will scan in a real copy soon.  Promise.  Since Aiden would not sit on Santa's lap, we didn't fight it.  We turned it into a family photo opp.   

19 Days and a promised video

First the video.  Jingle Bells.  A la Mom and Tater.  As funny as this is... think how much more funny it would be to have Aiden WATCH this video.  I have to figure out a way to record him watching this.  SO stinking cute.

I totally cheated tonight.  First of all, Mondays are really hard for me to do anything with Mister other than sit exhaustedly on the couch and read stories.  BUT!  'Tis the Christmas Season, so that would not do.

We wanted to go to the Festival of Trees this year, but it was such a drive and Mister probably would not have enjoyed it much.  So, what to do... what to do...   We kinda did our own Festival of Trees.  We went to Tai Pan Trading and saw all the decorated trees there.  Honestly, I think Mister enjoyed it more because we could touch things, pretend like we might buy them, then put them back.

For anyone with a toddler, try it!  It is great fun.  And there were not BILLIONS of people there.

20 day and counting

We stayed in and didn't do much of anything last night, but we did read stories.  Lots of Christmas stories.

We read these books.  Some of them were books that were read to me as a child, but they are all wonderful, tender books.

Try some of these.  They will definitely bring the Spirit of Christmas to your home...

21 Days

On Saturday, Aiden arguably had the best 30 minutes of his life to this point.  Newgate Mall has this totally wicked train that goes around and around the mall.  We HAD to try it.  (Thanks, Steph, for telling me about it.  It was truly the best!!!)

You see, Aiden has this thing for trains.  He saw the train and went CRAZY.  Truly crazy.  We were lucky enough to get to the train while the conductor was on break, so we could spend about 15 minutes climbing around it and loving on it.  I think there was even a kiss placed at one point...

So just sit back and enjoy the pure bliss...

22 Days - and internetless

Our weekend was great.  And I took pictures.  Unfortunately for me, the person or people supplying my unsecured internet have decided to wise up and secure their connection, or didn't pay their internet bill.  Either way, I was without internet this weekend which was sad.  I couldn't update this blog and we were severely limited on which Thomas movies we could watch.  (I love you, Netflix...)

So, on to the Christmas Fun.  Friday night was AWESOME. Toddler + Gingerbread House = hysterical laughter and sugar overload.

Bad Mom of the Year award... frosting right from the tube.  Ah, well, he loved it.

Started off innocently enough.

It was about this point that Aiden realized that these things he was placing so nicely on the roof were edible. 

And he began to eat the shingles off the roof.  

He tried to eat more icing by himself.  Ended up looking like Don Quixote

Finished product...Toddlerized.

Only about a third of the candy actually made it onto the Gingerbread House, but we knew that going in.